Cellulose ether solvent and composition



and YGRK, ASSIGNOR 'ro nast ness oran scan, a ooaroaa'rron or new "roan.

@ELLULQSE AND CUMPOSITIUN.

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To all whom it may concern:

Beit known thatl, STEWART J. Cannon, a citizen of the United States of America, residing atB-ochester, in the county ofll/ionroe and. State of York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Qellulose Ether Solvents and Compositions, of which the following is full, clear, and exact specification. I

, This invention relates to solvents for making strongsolutions of cellulose ether and also relates to the cellulose ether compositions or dopes produced by the aid. of such solvents. One object of. my invention is to provide a solvent which will dissolve such large proportions of cellulose others that thick or suitably viscous allowable solutions may be obtained for use in plastic and film making arts. Another-object of my inven-' tion is to provide a cellulose ether solution suitable for the manufacture of strong, {lenible, transparent film by the methods and in the apparatus now in customary use.

In U. S. Patent No. 1,188,376. Lilienifeld,

June 20, 1916, there are disclosed a series of allryl others of cellulose, of which certain ones are practically insoluble in Water. My invention is concerned chiefly with the others having this latter property. While such others form thin solutions in various I single solvents, like ethyl alcohol, and While such single soliitions are often useful for various purposes, it has been 'found that such solutions do not contain a sufficient proportion of the others to make the viscous idovvable compositions or dopes which may he Worked into photographic film base by the customary methods.

l have discovered that an adequately strong and useful solvent may be prepared loy mixing ethylscetate, ethyl alcohol and Water. Theaddition of Water to the combination causes a very noticeable increase in the solvent action and does not'impair the transparency or strength of the final film when produced under the standard manufactoring conditions.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention I combine 90 parts of ethyl acetate and 7 parts of ethyl alcohol with 3 parts of Specification of Letters Patent.

[application died January 21, 19%. Serial No. assess.

Water, the proportions being by Weight. 400 to 800 parts of this solvent mixture will dissolve approximately 100 parts oi ethyl" cellulose, for example. The resulting dopes, when thoroughly mixed and filtered if desired, may be Worked up into transparent, strong, flexible sheets or films. The relative proportions may be varied considerably. For instance, I may use 92 parts of ethyl acetate, 7 parts of ethyl alcohol and 1 part of Water, or, on the other hand, I can, for example, combine 82 parts of ethyl acetate and 12 parts of ethyl alcohol With 6 parts of water. Other equivalent proportions Will readily occur to those skilled in this art. Other substances which impart additional suppleness or incomhustihility, or other desired qualities, to the finished film. may be added to the dope, such modifyingtill agents being, for instance, triphenyl phosplllate, tricresyl phosphate, camphor and the li c.

All of the ingredients are of the commercial type, suiliciently purified for the. process or film manufacture, so as to give a homogenous dope yielding films of the proper trans parency and relative freedom from color.

' Having thus described my invention,

' What I claim as new and. desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A composition solvent for alkyl others of cellulose, comprising from 8% to 92 parts of ethyl acetate, 7 to 12 parts of ethyl alcohol and 1 to fi parts of Water by Weight.

2. A composition solvent for ethyl ethers of cellulose which are substantially insolu= ble in. water, comprising 90 parts of ethyl acetate. 7 parts of ethyl alcohol and 3 parts of water. I V

3. A viscous flowable film-forming composition, comprising an alkyl ether of cellulose dissolved in a mixture oiethyl. acetate, ethyl alcohol and Water.

4. A viscous flowable' film-forming composition, comprising an alkyd ether of cellulose dissolved in a compound solvent comprising from 82 to 92 parts of ethyl acetate, 7 to 1&2 parts of ethyl alcohol and l to 6 parts of Water by Weight.

5. A. composition of matter comprising S ll Mid

100 parts of an alkyl cthor of cellulose and in a compound solvent comprising approxi- 400 to 800 parts of a compound so'fivent matol y 910 parts by Weight of othyl acetate,

containing from 82 to 92 percent of ethy 7 parts of ethyl alcohol and 3 parts Water. 10 v acetate, 7 to 12 porcont of ethyl alcohol and Signed at Rochester, New York, this 8th 53 l to 6 percent of Wmtcr by Weight. day of January, 1921,

6. A viscous fio'wablo film-forming composition, comprising cfchyl colluiose dissolved STEWART J. CARRQLL. 

